Petunia plant named ‘Sunpetu 211’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunpetu 211’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large flowers that are bright purple with a white-colored star pattern; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia x hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNPETU 211’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia x hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunpetu 211’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new upright, mounding and freely-flowering Petunia plants with attractive flower colors and patterns.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2014 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code designation SA8294, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code designation PSRS, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since January, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunpetu 211’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunpetu 211’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Large flowers that are bright purple with a white-colored         star pattern.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have violet-colored flowers with a white-colored star pattern. In addition, flowers of plants of the new Petunia are larger than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have rose pink-colored flowers with a white-colored star pattern.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia hybrid ‘PBLRS38-0’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,265. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘PBLRS38-0’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more upright than and not as         outwardly spreading as plants of ‘PBLRS38-0’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are taller than and not as broad as         plants of ‘PBLRS38-0’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia have larger leaves than plants of         ‘PBLRS38-0’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘PBLRS38-0’.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of         ‘PBLRS38-0’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunpetu 211’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunpetu 211’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 20-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were six and seven months old when the photographs and description, respectively, were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia x hybrida ‘Sunpetu 211’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia x             hybrida identified as code designation SA8294, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia x             hybrida identified as code designation PSRS, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and mounding plant             habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 56 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 26 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Pubescent, rough.         -   Color.—Close to 145A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—About 16 leaves per lateral             branch; alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent, rough.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 145B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 145C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 6.1 mm. Diameter: About 3.1 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, rough. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Large single-type salverform             flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering             habit with usually about three to five flowers developing             per lateral branch and about 150 flowers developing per             plant during the flowering season; flowers face mostly             upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to             four weeks after planting; long flowering period, flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 145D with stripes, close             to 83D; developing petals, close to 83A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 2.4 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter, distally.—About 9 mm.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl,             fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal             length from throat: About 2 cm. Petal width: About 2.5 cm.             Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal             margin: Entire; slightly lobed; undulate. Petal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat             texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color:             Petal, when opening, upper surface: Main color, darker than             N78A; star pattern, close to NN155B. Petal, when opening,             lower surface: Main color, close to N80B; star pattern,             close to 157D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Main             color, close to between N78A and NN78A; star pattern, close             to NN155C; venation is faintly visible, close to 145B;             colors do not change with development. Petal, fully opened,             lower surface: Main color, close to N80B; star pattern,             close to 157D; venation is faintly visible, similar to             lamina colors; colors do not change with development.             Throat: Distally, close to 157D; center, close to 150D;             proximally, close to 145D; venation is faintly visible,             close to 145B. Tube: Distally, close to 157D; proximally,             close to 145D; venation is faintly visible, similar to             lamina colors.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals arranged in a single whorl and fused at the base.             Sepal length: About 1 cm. Sepal width: About 2.7 mm. Sepal             shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to             137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 2 cm. Filament color: Close to             NN155B. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2 mm             by 1.2 mm. Anther color: Close to NN155A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to NN155A. Pistils: Quantity             per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.3 cm. Style color:             Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal.             Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 144A.             Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Petunia to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunpetu 211’ as illustrated and described. 